[tomtilley Posts: 568 Status: Offline]

     
  That  was a good week it was mostly good weather Execpt for that day in Plymouth  but looking forward for the next one in Plymouth .   






                                                                      Tom .

[Gaz Posts: 2348 Status: Offline Cruising around Cornwall WWW]

It was certainly one of those occasions that I was happy to continue but relieved to hear nicks voice going ABORT ABORT ABORT in my headset. We had a heavy swell with a moderate amount of chop so the going was uncomfortable, I couldn't decide if it was better to turn and run or stick it out to the calmer conditions I hoped were just around the headland. Thankfully nick's resolve broke before anything else and the 'about face' was certainly a safe and welcome decision.

[Alfredrogers Posts: 254 Status: Offline]

Wow Nick that was some Adventure it looks like you hit an immovable object(the wind and sea) but sensibly 'you bent with the wind' and returned safely home to write your interesting article.  If you had carried on there may have been another adventure but of course we will never know now.    I admire your courage as I have also been in similar situations it's that should I shouldn't I decision time.       Very kind regards Alf

[Nick Flint Posts: 4867 Status: Offline]

During our sojourn out of Plymouth travelling west a few weeks ago we encountered some "rather large waves"--made "steeper" by heading into the waves and wind and tide.
Still felt OK in the Otters but Gaz--- (smaller in craft ONLY) was dissappearing into the troughs. I hit two LARGE waves and was weightless dropping down the other side into the trough. "Trying not to die" becomes somewhat tedious after a while, (hanging on and taking the bumps out with bent knees--NO change there then---) so I took the executive (cowards) decision to abort trying to get around the point, turning away from the wind and waves. It was prearranged that if ANY of us chicken- the others would follow. 
The change is miraculous in that suddenly you are no longer fighting the energy from the wind and waves.
Going with the flow--- MUCH easier than against it- eh Alf  ?!
                See what I did there?
John YOU are certainly "Putting it apart"! -also no change there---
I AM finally getting around to sorting lots of non hover stuff, but also collating (love that word) various drone footage from Loch Fyne i.e. my airborne camera that WASNT lost out of Plymouth---doh
Im hoping for foul weather to sit at this comp for a day at the video edit end of hovering.
The wait will be worth it.

[Philip Posts: 2436 Status: Offline 12" above the Earth's surface WWW]

Good to see the Prospector out,

[Ian Brooks Posts: 3552 Status: Offline]

I've never felt the craft rolling significantly so the wind must have been huge. I did once flip the Surveyor in a 45mph gust, but that was operator error in reality. The trick is to keep plenty of lift, then the skirt will maintain roll stability, providing an increasing restoring force as the craft rolls. When I rolled the Surveyor I made the critical error of reducing lift power just as the gust hit me, so the skirt could not provide the restoring force I needed. Keep the lift up and the craft will look after you until you can find safe haven.

Incidentally - I was very glad of the 'proper' lifejacket which probably saved my life! A bouyancy aid would not have brought me to the surface, I know this because my jacket provides 50N of bouyancy but this did not bring me up.

Ian

[John Robertson Posts: 5136 Status: Offline WWW]

Not had it sideways but rather nose into gusts (last weekend in the Explorer the gusts were ferocious!).  Gets a bit floaty (you can feel the nose lift a bit) but the craft I use have aerodynamic noses that *should* provide enough downforce to help counteract the lift from the underhull (the front cushion is wiped out long before the nose lifts).  If the side is lifting then maybe the wind gust are too great and shelter should be quickly sought or turning into/away from wind if possible?

[orkneymark Posts: 98 Status: Offline]

Just this morning I nipped the few miles to the Scalloway shop for a pint of milk in quite rough conditions. I had a very strong wind hitting the Surveyor side on and on the way back a few times large gusts hit me and I could feel the craft lifting and threatening to flip over. First time I have felt this! Has anyone else come across this? Got a bit of a fright!!

[John Robertson Posts: 5136 Status: Offline WWW]

This weeks hover cruising week in three different locations, Loch Fyne on the West Coast, Forth Estuary and the North Sea at Berwick.  Water was rough at all of them at some point!


https://youtu.be/sCMa8gWlV9U

Includes bonus footage of clearly audible radio traffic (cruise ship shuttle boats) above the craft noise and all the LEDs on the craft  .  Radio is a Cobra F55 with a 2.5" "external" dash speaker (it even has multiple built-in LEDs  ).